Directed by Wes Anderson and screenplay by Anderson from a story by Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, and Kunichi Nomura, Isle of Dogs is the story of a young boy in a futuristic, dystopian-Japan who travels to an island where dogs are living in exile due to an illness outbreak. The film is Anderson’s second stop-motion animated feature as it plays into a boy’s search for his dog where a group of dogs decide to help the boy as well as deal with being in exile because of a leader who hates dogs as the story is narrated by Courtney B. Vance. Featuring the voice cast of Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Koyu Rankin, Greta Gerwig, Frances McDormand, Scarlett Johansson, Ken Watanabe, Fisher Stevens, Yoko Ono, Harvey Keitel, Liev Schreiber, Bob Balaban, Tilda Swinton, Frank Wood, and F. Murray Abraham. Isle of Dogs is a majestic and adventurous film from Wes Anderson.
Following a mandate to ban dogs from a Japanese by its mayor claiming that dogs are spreading diseases as they’re consumed by a mysterious illness, the film revolves around a young boy who travels to an island of trash to find his dog. It’s a film with a simple story as it explores conspiracy theories and paranoia from the perspective of humans while the dogs are dealing with hunger, an on-going flu, and the horrific environment they live in. Wes Anderson’s screenplay opens with a prologue of a legend about the arrival of dogs in Japan and how it lead to this conflict between man vs. dog until a boy came to the aid of dogs and would make them man’s best friend. It’s a story that would be replayed in this futuristic version of Japan where a mayor who hates dogs decides to create something to get the public to have dogs banned as it is told in four parts by an unseen narrator. Yet, the main narrative involves the mayor’s nephew Atari (Koyu Rankin) wanting to retrieve his dog Spots (Liev Schreiber) whom he got just after Atari had been injured in a train crash that killed his parents.
The need to retrieve Spots would have Atari land on this island filled with trash that was also the former site of a factory and amusement park where he would meet five dogs in Chief (Bryan Cranston), Boss (Bill Murray), Rex (Edward Norton), King (Bob Balaban), and Duke (Jeff Goldblum) where four of the dogs would help Atari find Spots but Chief is reluctant as he’s a stray dog that hasn’t known any loyalty to a master as he’s known to bite. Yet, the dogs would deal with a rescue team that has robotic dogs to attack where Chief decides to help Atari as it would play into this development between dog and boy, respectively, as it would also lead to some revelations to the former while giving the latter a sense of hope. The film also has subplots as it relates to students wanting to go against the mayor led by American foreign exchange student Tracy Walker (Greta Gerwig) who believes there’s a conspiracy happening involving the mayor and his cohorts where they are also attempting to shut down a scientist in Professor Watanabe (Akira Ito) from creating a cure for the dogs.
Anderson’s direction is definitely intoxicating for the way he uses Japanese art and its architecture to create a world that is futuristic in some ways but also harkens to the tradition of the past. With the help of animation director Mark Waring, Anderson creates a film that does play into his visual sensibilities in terms of his precise compositions, camera movements, and offbeat humor. Yet, he would also utilize broad visuals to play into this world as the island of trash is desolate but also wild with rumors of cannibalistic dogs who eat other dogs. There are also these elements where Anderson uses satire as it relates to the rule and rhetoric of Mayor Kobayashi (Kunichi Nomura) that has similarities to current events in the world in how dogs are being treated as they’re sent to this island of trash with more plans to get rid of them altogether. Especially as Kobayashi has a henchman in Major Domo (Akira Takayama) who is trying to create more chaos where a lot of the visuals play into elements of suspense and drama.
Anderson’s direction also has these tender moments as it relates to the developing relationship between Chief and Atari as it has bits of humor and drama with Chief carrying a secret of his own about his life as a stray dog when the subject of favorite foods emerge during a conversation with the other dogs. Many of the dialogue between the dogs are in English while the humans, with the exception of Tracy and a few translators, are in Japanese. It allows audience to see a world that is unique while unsettling at times as it plays into this growing tension for truth with the people in this Japanese city being told false things while Tracy is trying to reveal the truth with Atari making plans to return to the city with the dogs in the hope that the truth will come out. Overall, Anderson crafts a mesmerizing and exhilarating film about a boy who travels to an island of trash to find his dog.
Cinematographer Tristan Oliver does excellent work with the film’s cinematography in the way many of the backgrounds are lit as well as the presentation of some of the interior settings in day and night in terms of the lighting. Editors Andrew Weisblum, Ralph Foster, and Edward Busch do brilliant work with the editing as it has elements of jump cuts and other stylish cut to play into the action and suspense as well as some of the drama. Production designers Paul Harrod and Adam Stockhausen, with art director Curt Enderle, do incredible work with the look of the city in all of its grand detail as it is a major highlight of the film as well as how it would look in the day and night as is the island of trash with its decayed buildings and other places in the island.
Visual effects supervisors Lev Kolobov and Tim Ledbury do fantastic work with the visual effects as it is mainly bits of set dressing including scenes shown on a TV screen for the characters to watch as it help play into the stop-motion animated look. Sound editors Wayne Lemmer and Christopher Scarabosio do superb work with the sound in some of the sound effects involving the drones and robotic dogs as well as in some of the locations the characters are in. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is amazing for its usage of Japanese percussion and string music to help play into the drama and suspense as it’s another major highlight of the film while music supervisor Randall Poster provides a soundtrack that include a few score pieces of films by Akira Kurosawa and a song by The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band that play for some of the adventure scenes.
The casting by Douglas Aibel and Kunichi Nomura is incredible as it features some small yet notable voice roles from co-writer Nomura as Mayor Kobayashi in all of his grandiose persona as well as Yoko Ono as Professor Watanabe’s assistant, Ken Watanabe as a head surgeon who helped Atari following the train crash, Fisher Stevens as a dog named Scraps whom Spots meet as he would tell him about cannibal dogs, Kara Hayward as a female dog named Peppermint, Anjelica Huston as a mute dog, Frank Wood as translator machine, Yojiro Noda as a news anchor, Nijiro Murakami as a school newspaper editor, Akira Ito as Professor Watanabe as a scientist who wants to disprove Kobayashi’s claims while wanting to create a cure for the dogs, and Akira Takayama as Kobayashi’s right-hand man Major Domo who would help Kobayashi in creating the anti-dog propaganda.
Liev Schreiber is terrific as Atari’s dog Spots who had been assigned to look after Atari following a near-fatal train crash while Harvey Keitel is superb as Gondo as a dog who leads a group of his own. F. Murray Abraham and Tilda Swinton are fantastic in their respective roles as Jupiter and Oracle as the former is a dog that helps the other dogs in finding Spots by showing them the way while the latter is a dog that claims to see the future as he’s really more into TV. Frances McDormand is excellent as Interpreter Nelson who would reveal the things that Kobayashi is saying while Greta Gerwig is wonderful as Tracy Walker as an American foreign exchange student who helps lead a student revolt against Kobayashi. Scarlett Johansson is brilliant as Nutmeg as a show-dog that convinces Chief to help Atari as she sees Atari as someone that can find the goodness in Chief.
The quartet of Bob Balaban, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, and Edward Norton in their respective roles as King, Duke, Boss, and Rex are brilliant as the four dogs who have been treated well by their masters as they’re willing to help Atari find Spots while dealing with Chief’s reluctance. Koyu Rankin is remarkable as Atari as Kobayashi’s nephew who is eager to find his dog as he endures injuries and heartache as he is determined to get his dog back while befriending the other dogs including Chief. Finally, there’s Bryan Cranston in a phenomenal performance as Chief as a stray dog who has endured being captured and in a lot of fights who is reluctant to help Atari due to his own mistrusts towards humans where he later finds a sense of trust as well as a role that is far more important than himself.
Isle of Dogs is a tremendous film from Wes Anderson. Featuring a great cast, gorgeous visuals, top-notch stop-motion animation, amazing set designs, and a thrilling score by Alexandre Desplat. The film is an exciting yet compelling adventure film that takes a simple concept and inject some real-life allegories about the world as it all plays for a boy’s love for his dog. In the end, Isle of Dogs is a spectacular film from Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - The Grand Budapest Hotel - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Film Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) – (The Grand Budapest Hotel) – (Isle of Dogs)
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the comic series by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Larry Lieber, Thor: Ragnarok is the story of the godly figure who finds himself in danger when a mysterious figure has returned to Asgard to wreak havoc forcing Thor to seek help from an ally and other figures. Directed by Taika Waititi and screenplay by Eric Pearson Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost, the film is an exploration of a man trying to fulfill his role but also rectify the mistakes of the past as Chris Hemsworth reprises the role of Thor. Also starring Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Idris Elba, Karl Urban, Jeff Goldblum, and Anthony Hopkins as Odin. Thor: Ragnarok is a sprawling yet witty film from Taika Waititi.
Two years after the events in Sokovia where Thor helped the Avengers saved its people, the film follows the godly figure trying to get answers about the Infinity Stones where he learns that a mysterious figure named Hela (Cate Blanchett) is returning to Asgard to make her claim to its throne and its people. It’s a film that has Thor not only try to find out the whereabouts of his father but also deal with the sins that Odin had been carrying as it include Hela who is revealed to be Thor’s older sister that was cast out of Asgard due to her dark ambitions. With the help of his adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Thor tries to stop Hela only for things to go wrong as she takes control of Asgard while Thor finds himself in the planet of Sakaar. The film’s screenplay doesn’t just explore the sins that Odin has laid upon for his sons who are forced to work together and deal with themselves but also realize the role that Thor is destined to carry as he is Asgard’s true heir.
The script also has this unique structure that doesn’t just play into the development of the story but also the characters as Thor is first seen imprisoned by the fire demon Surtur (voice of Clancy Brown) in his search for the Infinity Stones where he also learns of the prophecy known as Ragnarok that will deal with the end of Asgard which had been in Thor’s mind for some time. Upon his return to Asgard where he learns that his father had been away, he turns to Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for help where he and Loki find Odin’s whereabouts who reveal his own sins and the return of Hela. The second act isn’t just about Hela taking over Asgard as well as deal with a resistance led by Heimdall (Idris Elba) who had taken the sword that controls the Bridge to all nine realms. It’s also about Thor in the planet of Sakaar where he’s captured by a woman named Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) where he’s forced to become a gladiator for amusement of the planet’s leader in the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) where its champion is none other than the Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo). Thor has to convince the Hulk to join him in saving Asgard as well as Valkyrie who was once part of an army of warriors that tried to stop Hela years ago.
Taika Waititi’s direction is very offbeat not just for the fact that it’s a film with grand visuals and set in a large universe but it’s also approached with a sense of humor mixed in with bits of tragedy. Though shot mainly on soundstages at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta, the film also shoots on location in New York City and parts of Australia with the latter as the forest and mountains in Asgard. Waititi does create something that is grounded but also maintain the importance of the different lands and galaxies where it is very diverse as well as filled with all sorts of ideas of the world that Thor is encountering. Waititi would use some wide shots for those locations but also in some of the battle scenes and in the gladiator showdown between Thor and Hulk as the latter is this mixture of humor and drama. He would also use some close-ups and medium shots as it play into the situations that Thor is in whether it’s being imprisoned at Sakaar where he would befriend other gladiators including a rock-like creature named Korg (Taika Waititi) or coping with the sins of his father.
The direction doesn’t showcase the motivations of Hela in the need to claim her place in the throne as Asgard’s sole ruler but also infuse with some dark humor where Hela is someone that is just hell-bent on wreaking havoc. Waititi would also showcase Asgard when Odin isn’t available as it include this play of Thor and Loki’s adventures where Thor is watching with befuddlement. It’s among these offbeat moments in the film that add a lighter touch to the action and drama as well as the scenes in Sakaar where the Grandmaster is this oddball man that is ruling a planet yet he’s so weird. The film’s climax in which Thor, Loki, the Hulk, and Valkyrie battle Hela and her army as it does play into Thor’s own insecurities into not living up to his own claim for Asgard’s throne. All of which forces him to unveil his true powers and bring some redemption for his father to save the people of Asgard. Overall, Waititi crafts an exhilarating and evocative film about a god trying to save his people from his evil sister with the help of a few allies.
Cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe does brilliant work with the film’s cinematography from the colorful exteriors of the scenes in Sakaar and Asgard as well as some of the interiors for the scenes at Dr. Strange’s home and at the palace of Asgard. Editors Joel Negron and Zene Baker do excellent work with the editing as it is stylized with conventional fast-cutting in the action but also use some straightforward cuts for the non-action scenes to establish what is going on. Production designers Dan Hennah and Ra Vincent, with set decorator Beverley Dunn plus art directors Bill Booth, Brendan Heffernan, Richard Hobbs, Alex McCarroll, and Laura Ng, do amazing work with the look of the different worlds from Dr. Strange’s New York home, the places in Asgard, and the coliseum at Sakaar. Costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo does fantastic work with the costumes from the design of the gladiator gear to the clothes that Hela, Valkyrie, and the Grandmaster wear to play into their offbeat personalities.
Hair designer Lucy Vannella and makeup designer Vincenzo Mastrantonio do terrific work with the look of Hela in her hairstyle as well as Thor’s haircut before the gladiator battle and the makeup some of the people at Sakaar wear. Special effects supervisors Brian Cox and R. Bruce Steinheimer, with visual effects supervisors Megan Flood, Jake Morrison, and Stuart White, do incredible work with the visual effects from the look of the Hulk and some of the creatures Thor encounters to the look of the planet that Sutur lives in. Sound designers David Farmer and Shannon Mills, with co-sound editor Daniel Laurie, do superb work with the sound in creating sound effects for some of the action as well as the way the Hulk sounds and some of the objects in the different planets such as the guns at Sakaar.
The film’s music by Mark Motherbaugh is wonderful for its mixture of electronic synth-pop with elements of orchestral bombast as the latter play into some of the adventure and action while the electronic pieces play into the world of Sakaar while music supervisor Dave Jordan provide a soundtrack that is just as offbeat from the usage of Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory to Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song which makes perfect sense for the film’s action scenes as its lyrics features a lot of Norse mythology that relates to Thor.
The casting by Sarah Finn and Kirsty McGregor is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Clancy Brown as the voice of the fire demon Sutur, the trio of the Warrior Three in Tadanobu Asano as Hogun, Ray Stevenson as Volstagg, and Zachary Levi as Fandral who are among the first to confront Hela at Asgard, Rachel House as the Grandmaster’s bodyguard Topaz, director Taika Waititi as the rock-like gladiator Korg who provides some funny commentary about Thor’s situation, the obligatory Stan Lee cameo as Thor’s barber, and Benedict Cumberbatch in a brief but terrific appearance as Doctor Stephen Strange who helps Thor find the whereabouts of Odin through his own powers. Karl Urban is superb as the Asgardian warrior Skurge who watches over the Biofrost as he becomes a reluctant aide to Hela where he copes with the choices he makes. Anthony Hopkins is fantastic as Odin as Thor and Hela’s father and king of Asgard who deals with his own exile as well as the regrets he made in his life where he ponders what will happen to Thor and Loki upon Hela’s return.
Idris Elba is excellent as Heimdall as the former watcher of the Biofrost who has become a fugitive due to events from the last film as he leads a resistance against Hela where he does whatever he can to help the people of Asgard. Jeff Goldblum is brilliant as the Grandmaster as the odd leader of Sakaar who rules the planet with a mighty fist but also with some eccentric ideas as he cares more about having gladiator shows than cleaning up his dirty planet. Tom Hiddleston is amazing as Loki as Thor’s adopted brother who has been trying to create mischief at Asgard due to Odin’s absence as he deals with the presence of Hela while being very conflicted into helping Thor and Asgard or himself as he also struggles with his own shortcomings. Tessa Thompson is remarkable as Valkyrie as a former Asgardian warrior who had fought with Hela a long time ago as she is reeling from bad memories while unsure if she wants to help Thor in order to find her own redemption. Mark Ruffalo is incredible as the Hulk/Bruce Banner where he appears briefly as Banner as the man who had been lost in the role of the Hulk as he tries to comprehend what has happened to him whereas the Hulk has become a figure that feels loved and appreciated at Sakaar instead of being seen as a monster on Earth.
Cate Blanchett is phenomenal as Hela as Odin’s first-born child who had been his executioner and right-hand woman until her ambitions overwhelm him as this woman that is just pissed off in being exiled as Blanchett provides a bit of camp but also has this air of charisma that makes her so interesting in being one of the best villains in the MCU. Finally, there’s Chris Hemsworth in a sensational performance as Thor as the Norse god who is trying to find answers about the Infinity Stones only to learn about the revelation that he has an evil older sister where he deals with his own shortcomings as Hemsworth displays some humility as well as some great comedic timing that adds to his sense of humility.
Thor: Ragnarok is a spectacular film from Taika Waititi that features great performances from Chris Hemsworth, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Hiddleston, and Anthony Hopkins. Along with its supporting cast, dazzling visuals, killer music soundtrack, and themes on sins and duty. It’s a film that manages to be compelling in its themes while providing moments that are exciting as well as being very funny. In the end, Thor: Ragnarok is a tremendous film from Taika Waititi.
Taika Waititi Films: Two Cars, One Night - Eagle vs. Shark - Boy (2010 film) - What We Do in the Shadows - Hunt for the Wilderpeople - Jojo Rabbit - Next Goal Wins (2023 film) - (Klara and the Sun) - Auteurs #64: Taika Waititi
Marvel Cinematic Universe: Infinity Saga: Phase One: Iron Man - The Incredible Hulk - Iron Man 2 - Thor - Captain America: The First Avenger - The Avengers (2012 film)
Phase Two: Iron Man 3 - Thor: The Dark World - Captain America: The Winter Soldier - Guardians of the Galaxy - The Avengers: Age of Ultron - Ant-Man
Phase Three: Captain America: Civil War - Doctor Strange - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Black Panther - Avengers: Infinity War - Ant-Man & the Wasp - Captain Marvel - Avengers: Endgame - Captain Marvel - Spider-Man: Far from Home
Post-Infinity Saga: Phase Four: Black Widow (2021 film) - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Eternals – Spider-Man: No Way Home – Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – Thor: Love and Thunder – Werewolf by Night - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Phase Five: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – The Marvels – (Deadpool & Wolverine) - (Captain America: Brave New World) - (Thunderbolts*)
Phase 6: The Fantastic Four: First Steps - (Avengers: Doomsday) - (Avengers: Secret Wars)
Related: MCU is Cinema: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 – Pt. 4 – (Part 5) – (Part 6) – (Part 7) - The MCU: 10 Reasons Why It Rules the World
© thevoid99 2017
Directed by Jake Szymanski and teleplay by Murray Miller from a story by Miller and Andy Samberg, Tour de Pharmacy is the story of the infamous 1982 Tour de France in which five of its top contenders did whatever it took to win while raising awareness of steroid use. Told in a documentary style, the film chronicles the notorious event as well as the people who were involved in that race as it is narrated by Jon Hamm. Starring Andy Samberg, Orlando Bloom, Freddie Highmore, John Cena, Daveed Diggs, Jeff Goldblum, Julia Ormond, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Will Forte, Maya Rudolph, Kevin Bacon, Phylicia Rashad, J.J. Abrams, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Mike Tyson, Joe Buck, Chris Webber, and Lance Armstrong. Tour de Pharmacy is a wild and outrageous film from Jake Szymanski.
In the 1982 Tour de France, one of the most notorious cycling races occurred as many of the riders participating in the event were all taking some kind of drugs in which five of them were able to continue as this documentary on these five racers are profiled in this film as four of them talk about the race. The film is a mockumentary about a fictional moment in racing as it’s told in a documentary style similar to what HBO sports does as well as ESPN’s 30 for 30 series. The film follow the events in the 1982 Tour de France in which many of its participants paid the then-UCI president Ditmer Klerken (Kevin Bacon) $50,000 in exchange to not be tested as Klerken would use the money to pay off his massive credit card debts. Among those that didn’t pay Klerken were the five riders who would be able to continue the race till the end as the ones who did pay Klerken were all disqualified.
Among these five participants who would continue the race are the American cyclist Slim Robinson (Daveed Robinson/Danny Glover), the Nigerian cyclist Marty Haas (Andy Samberg/Jeff Goldblum), the Austrian cyclist Gustav Ditters (John Cena/Dolph Lundgren), the French cyclist Adrian Baton (Freddie Highmore/Julia Ormond), and the Italian cyclist JuJu Peppi (Orlando Bloom). Four of them would talk about the event that happened many years ago as Baton was really a woman disguised as a man so she can participate in the Tour de France as she was also on some drugs. Murray Miller’s script doesn’t just go into this back-and-forth narrative of the riders talking about the event but also the event itself as it also features commentary from an anti-doping agency head in Stu Ruckman (Nathan Fielder) as well as filmmaker J.J. Abrams and boxing legend Mike Tyson. The latter of which reveals his own original aspirations to be a cyclist until someone stole his bike and he beat the shit out of the guy.
Jake Szymanski’s direction definitely owe a lot to not just the documentary style of most documentary sport films but also has elements of French New Wave to play into France’s own coverage of the sport but also 1980s television. Notably as Szymanski uses some grainy video footage of the race which was covered by the BBC and its reporter Rex Honeycutt (James Marsden) as many of the compositions in the film are straightforward. The present-day scenes with the older bikers and some of the people interviewed including an anonymous racer (Lance Armstrong) as that interview is played for laughs in trying to conceal the identity of this racer. The film also play into some of the outrageous moments as it’s narrated by Jon Hamm that include a few animated sequences including one story about red blood cells that is created by a controversial animator in Victoria Young (Phylicia Rashad). Szymanski’s direction becomes more outrageous as the story goes on whether it’s Ditters on roid-rage or Peppi having to urinate while riding. It all plays into craziness of what goes on in the Tour de France. Overall, Szymanski creates an over-the-top yet exhilarating film about one of the most notorious races in the history of Tour de France.
Cinematographer Craig Kief does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the clear and stylish look of the present-day interviews to the grainy VHS look of the race itself. Editors Michael Giambra, Daniel Reitzenstein, and Bijan Shams do amazing work with the editing with its usage of jump-cuts for the French coverage as well as some of the more straightforward elements in the interviews. Production designer Almira Corey, with set decorator Izzy Ross and art director Jen Dunlap, does fantastic work with the look of the set for the interviews as well as a massage room for the five riders to be in. Costume designer Romy Itzigsohn does some nice work with the look of the spandex costumes of the riders as well as the clothes they wear when they’re older.
The hair/makeup work of Annie Cardea, K.T. Chandler, Megan Nicholl, and Adina Sullivan do brilliant work with the look of the characters from the fake-drawn mustache of the young Baton to the crazy hairstyles of some of the characters including Peppi’s blond goatee. Visual effects supervisor Daniel Barone does terrific work with some of the visual effects in some of the photos as well as the look of the VHS footage. Sound designer Ken Cain does superb work with the sound in the way some of the fighting is presented as well as the VHS tapes. The film’s music by Gregory James Jenkins is wonderful as it play into the period of cheesy music that often accompany sporting events during the 1980s.
The casting by Susie Farris is great as it feature appearances from Joe Buck, Mike Tyson, filmmaker J.J. Abrams, and basketball legend Chris Webber as themselves talking about the event while Lance Armstrong is hilarious as the anonymous racer who talks about all of the things that happened at Tour de France that involves doping. Other notable small roles include Phylicia Rashad as the controversial animator Victoria Young, Maya Rudolph as a cycling magazine editor who lusts for cyclists, Will Forte as a French policeman who accidentally injects himself with amphetamines, and Kevin Bacon in a terrific performance as the former UCI president Ditmer Klerken who would waste all of his money on things that would amass into a big credit card debt. Nathan Fielder is fantastic as an anti-doping agency head who reveal what effects the drugs would do while Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is superb as Hass’ childhood neighbor who really hates Hass. James Marsden is excellent as the BBC reporter Rex Honeycutt as the man covering the event as well as doing what he can to interview the cyclists during the race.
Daveed Diggs and Danny Glover are brilliant in their respective roles as the younger and older version of Slim Robinson as the nephew of Jackie Robinson who was eager to become the first black cyclist to compete at Tour de France with Diggs being quite brash while Glover is more reserved yet both are very funny. Dolph Lundgren and John Cena are amazing in their respective roles as the younger and older version of Gustav Ditters with Lundgren as a more calm yet enjoyable approach as the older Ditters yet it is Cena who is a fucking riot as the overly-excited and roid-rage version of Ditters who would also use a mysterious substance. Freddie Highmore and Julia Ormond are marvelous in their respective roles as the younger/older version of Adrian Baton with Highmore as a young woman pretending to be a man with a drawn mustache and fake boobs while Ormond is just very straightforward as Adrianna Baton though where she’s interviewed is very surprising.
Andy Samberg/Jeff Goldblum are remarkable in their respective roles as the younger and older version of Marty Hass with Samberg as this very outrageous young version who is trying to prove that he’s a true African when he’s really hated by actual Africans while Goldblum is just funny in how laid-back he is. Finally, there’s Orlando Bloom in a hilarious performance as Juju Peppi as the Italian cyclist who is considered the best as he is willing to do whatever he can to win as Bloom just play him for laughs and delivers in every way.
Tour de Pharmacy is a phenomenal film from Jake Szymanski. Not only is it a hilarious mockumentary short about the world of doping in cycling but also play into the things that are just shocking but in a very funny way. In the end, Tour de Pharmacy is a sensational from Jake Szymanski.
Related: 7 Days in Hell
© thevoid99 2017
Written and directed by Wes Anderson from a story by Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the story of a concierge who asks for the help of a young lobby boy to prove his innocence following the death of an old woman as the woman’s son and his associates try to kill him. Inspired by the writings of Stefan Zweig, the film is set between two world wars in a fictional European country where the story involves theft, love, mischief, and all sorts of things that is expected in a Wes Anderson film. Starring Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, F. Murray Abraham, Matheiu Almaric, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Jeff Goldblum, Jude Law, Harvey Keitel, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Lea Seydoux, Jason Schwartzman, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson, Owen Wilson, and Bob Balaban. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a rapturous yet exquisite film from Wes Anderson.
Read by a young girl who visit’s the fictional European country of Zubrowka, the film is multi-layered story about the recollections of a young lobby boy who worked for a prestigious hotel in the country that is run by a charming concierge who takes the young boy named Zero Moustafa (Tony Revolori) as his protégé. After the death of an old lady (Tilda Swinton) whom the concierge Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) had romanced, Gustave is inherited a prized painting much to the dismay of the old lady’s son Dmitri (Adrien Brody) who would have Gustave sent to prison over claims that Gustave killed his mother. With the help of Zero and a young baker named Agatha (Saoirse Ronan), Gustave would do whatever to prove his innocence as the older Zero (F. Murray Abraham) tells this story to a young author (Jude Law) at the hotel his mentor had cherished where the author (Tom Wilkinson) would turn it into a book many years later that the young girl is reading.
Wes Anderson’s screenplay delves into not just themes of nostalgia but also set it into a place in time where things were simpler and had a certain amount of respect where it is largely set in a hotel that was once a place of prestige and elegance where the film is set in three different time periods in 1932, 1968, and 1985 where the ‘68 and ‘85 portions involve the young author reflecting on the story he has created. Much of the narrative is set in 1932 where old Moustafa tells the young author his story where the Grand Budapest Hotel was his home and how he became a part of the world that Gustave has cherished until the death of an old lady would change everything. Especially as her son Dmitri would do whatever to get what he feels he’s supposed to inherit as he would send his henchman J.G. Jopling (Willem Dafoe) to take care of things.
It’s not just the story that makes the film so engaging but also the characters as Gustave is a man who likes to sleep with old ladies and give them the time of their lives while his greatest love is for the Grand Budapest Hotel in which he ensures that it maintains that sense of respect as the hotel of Zubrowska. It would be something that Gustave would have Zero do as it would be the role that Zero would play where this unique friendship between the two starts to form. Especially as Gustave would help Zero woo Agatha into a romantic relationship where the two would help Gustave get out of jail and evade the authorities and Dmitri where the third act would have the trio not only go back to the hotel but also deal with the sense of a world that is changing that would greatly affect the reputation of the hotel.
Anderson’s direction is definitely what is expected from him in terms of his approach to stylish compositions and attention to detail. Yet, he also manages to take some risks with his direction in not just the compositions he creates but also in the framing devices he goes into. Much of the scenes shot in 1932 is presented in a full-frame 1:33:1 aspect ratio to play into that period of time. Anderson’s direction is definitely controlled with that aspect ratio while adding a sense of looseness into the direction in the way he approaches humor. There’s also moments where Anderson utilizes that framing device to create some dazzling medium shots and wide shots where he creates scenes that is a mixture of stop-motion animation, miniature set designs, and some visual effects to play into that world that is Zubrowka.
The scenes between Mr. Moustafa and the young writer are shot in a 1:85:1 widescreen aspect ratio while the scenes involving the old author and the girl reading the book at present time is shot at a 2:35:1 aspect ratio. The 1968 sequence is once again filled with a lot of spectacular wide shots but also present a world that is filled with a sense of loss and sentimentality where the young writer looks into the history of this once great hotel. Anderson’s mixture of humor, drama, action, and adventure adds to many of the aspects of the film’s visual style not matter what aspect ratio is in where he maintains something that is visually-enriching but also captivating in the way he presents the story and the characters in the film. Overall, Anderson creates a very extravagant yet touching film about a concierge and his protégé trying to prove the former’s innocence in a strange murder plot.
Cinematographer Robert Yeomen does amazing work with the film‘s cinematography from the vibrant interior lights for the scenes at the hotel to some of the exterior settings in day and night to play up the rich look of the country as it‘s shot on location in Germany. Editor Barney Pilling does excellent work with the editing in creating some stylish cuts for some of the film‘s action and humor while also to help structure the story with its different timelines. Production designer Adam Stockhausen, with art directors Stephen O. Gessler, Gerald Sullivan, and Steve Summergill and set decorator Anna Pinnock, does phenomenal work with the set pieces from the look of the hotel itself as well as the design of the bakery boxes that Agatha works for and other decorative pieces as the art direction is a highlight of the film.
Costume designer Milena Canonero does dazzling work with the costumes from the uniforms of the people at the hotel to the lavish clothes of the guests as well as the dark look of Dmitri and his family/associates. Hair and makeup supervisor Heike Merker does brilliant work with the look of the Madame D. character in the way she looks as well as in some of the prosthetic makeup some of the other characters wear including the Mexico birthmark on Agatha‘s face. Visual effects supervisors Andrea Block, Christian Haas, and Gabriel Sanchez do fantastic work with some of the film‘s minimal visual effects while getting additional help from miniatures designer Frank Schegel and stop-motion animator Andy Biddle to play into the look of the hotel and some of its features.
Sound editor Wayne Lemmer does superb work with the sound to play into the atmosphere of the hotel as well as the prison and other locations in the film. The film’s music by Alexandre Desplat is just awesome for its mixture of Eastern European-based string music that is dominated by the balalaika that is mixed with some orchestral flourishes as it‘s definitely of Desplat‘s best scores while music supervisor Randall Poster brings in a few pieces of the times to add to the tone of the film.
The casting by Douglas Aibel and Jina Jay is just incredible for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Larry Pine as the Grand Budapest Hotel manager, Jella Niemann as the girl reading the book the author write, Giselda Voldi as Serge’s sister, and as members of a secret society of concierges that Gustave is in, Bob Balaban, Wallace Wolodarsky, Fisher Stevens, and Waris Ahluwalia. Other notable small roles include Lea Seydoux as a housemaid of Madame D., Mathieu Almaric as a servant of Madame D. who would provide crucial information for Gustave, Tom Wilkinson as the older author in the 1980s scene, Owen Wilson as a concierge who fills in for Gustave, Jason Schwartzman as the hotel concierge in the 1968 sequence, and Bill Murray in a very funny performance as a fellow concierge in M. Ivan who is also a member of the secret society of concierges.
Tilda Swinton is wonderful as the aging Madame D. who has cherished Gustave’s kindness as she would leave him a prestigious painting. Harvey Keitel is terrific as the prisoner Ludwig that Gustave would meet as they help each other break out of prison. Jeff Goldblum is superb as the hotel overseer Deputy Kovacs who is also Madame D.’s executor while Edward Norton is excellent as the army inspector Henckels who tries to do what is right while being a friend of Gustave. F. Murray Abraham is amazing as the older Zero Moustafa as a man who displays such grace in his role as a man reflecting on his past while Jude Law is great as the young author who listens to Zero’s story and reflects on a lost place in time.
Adrien Brody is fantastic as the very devilish son of Madame D. in Dmitri who is angry over what Gustave is getting while Willem Dafoe is brilliant as the very chilling J.G. Jopling who seems to have no problem in killing people as it’s definitely a role fitting for Dafoe. Saoirse Ronan is remarkable as the very brave Agatha whose talent for designing elaborate sweets is matched by her ability to do dangerous things in order to help Gustave and Zero. Tony Revolori is marvelous as the young Zero Moustafa as a young man trying to find his place in this hotel while helping Gustave to prove his innocence as it’s a major breakthrough for the young actor who manages to have some great moments with Fiennes. Finally, there’s Ralph Fiennes in a performance for the ages as Gustave as it’s one that is so full of charm where Fiennes really showcases his sense of wit where he is always funny from start to finish while proving to be a man who will fight for the people he cares for.
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a magnificent film from Wes Anderson. Armed with a glorious ensemble cast led by Ralph Fiennes as well as dazzling technical work and a fun score by Alexandre Desplat. The film is definitely one of Anderson’s finest in terms of its technical brilliance as well as an engaging story about friendship and finding a home in a troubled world. In the end, The Grand Budapest Hotel is a spectacular film from Wes Anderson.
Wes Anderson Films: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Hotel Chevalier - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - Moonrise Kingdom - Castello Cavalcanti - Isle of Dogs - The French Dispatch - Asteroid City - The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - The Swan - The Rat Catcher - Poison - The Phoenician Scheme - The Auteurs #8: Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson Soundtracks: Bottle Rocket - Rushmore - The Royal Tenenbaums - The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou - Seu Jorge-The Life Aquatic Studio Sessions - The Darjeeling Limited - Fantastic Mr. Fox - (Moonrise Kingdom) - (The Grand Budapest Hotel) - (Isle of Dogs)
© thevoid99 2014
Based on the short story by George Langelaan and its 1958 film adaptation directed by Kurt Neumann, The Fly is the story about a scientist whose attempt to create a teleport machine has suddenly gone wrong when a fly ends up in one of the pods he was in as his girlfriend tries to help him. Directed by David Cronenberg and screenplay by Cronenberg and Charles Edward Pogue, the film is a modern-day version of the 1958 film that explores a man’s experiment gone wrong as he starts to lose his idea of humanity. Starring Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, and John Getz. The Fly is an astounding yet unsettling sci-fi horror film from David Cronenberg.
The film has this simple premise in which a brilliant yet eccentric scientist named Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) who has been trying to create a teleport machine in the hopes that the idea of traveling via air, road, or sea would ceased to exist. After showing it to a journalist named Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) who meets him at a science convention, she helps give him ideas on how something living can transport from one pod to another. When Seth decides to teleport himself from one pod to another, the experiment works until Veronica is convinced something has gone wrong when it became clear that a housefly was in the pod with Seth as he starts to disintegrate and lose his humanity where he becomes this strange hybrid between man and fly. It’s an idea that has all of the elements that is perfect for a sci-fi horror film with elements of drama and dark humor as it plays into a man’s obsession with becoming brilliant yet finds himself becoming something else.
The film’s screenplay has a unique structure that plays into world of Seth Brundle as the first act is about him meeting Veronica and showing her his teleport experiment. The two eventually have a relationship much to the dismay of Veronica’s editor/former boyfriend Stathis Borans (John Getz) who learns about the affair as he follows Veronica. An act of jealousy from Brundle over Veronica’s relationship with Stathis would have him try the experiment itself as its second act would play into his belief that the experiment has made him better. Veronica however, starts to question him about what he’s become as hairs are coming out of a scar from his back. It is all part of the schematics of what is expected in the genre yet David Cronenberg and co-screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue add an element of human drama into the story. Especially in the love story between Seth and Veronica as Seth finds someone he can talk to while Veronica is fascinated by Seth’s genius.
By the film’s second half where Veronica becomes concerned for Seth’s well-being and his denial about what he’s becoming. It all plays to this very chilling third act where Seth has accepted into what he’s becoming as he tries to find a way to save himself. Veronica tries to help but couldn’t believe the state that he’s become while there’s another element that ups the drama as well as everything else that would play into Veronica’s own well-being. This would get Stathis involved as he tries to help Veronica while discovering what has happened to Seth where it would play into a very intense climax.
Cronenberg’s direction is very engaging in not just the way he plays into the drama but also take a slow burn into creating the horror that is to come. Many of the compositions that Cronenberg does for its first act is quite simple as it plays out as an understated drama with a bits of humor and romance where it builds up the romance between Seth and Veronica. Yet, there’s the Stathis character who is kind of a smarmy schmuck that still has feelings for Veronica as he would definitely drive Seth into jealousy which makes him wanting to test his teleport device himself. Cronenberg would create these shots of Seth showing the newfound strength and abilities that he has after being teleported but there are a few moments where Cronenberg would play into that sense of horror through a few key shots and sounds that would create a sense of foreboding.
There are bits of horrific moments that occur in the first half but it would all come to play in the second half such as a scene where Seth leaves in a state of anger to get a drink as he would do some things that would begin his de-evolution as a human being. Notably in the third act where the horror becomes very real when Veronica finally sees what Seth has become after a few weeks where he’s become this very horrific hybrid of human and fly. There is also an added dramatic stake that would increase the sense of horror where Seth’s state of mind becomes more erratic and less human as it involves Veronica. Even as the horror becomes this mixture of gore and body horror as there’s some drastic decisions to be made as well as tragedy over what Seth had become. Overall, Cronenberg creates a very intense and terrifying film about a man’s experiment that went horribly wrong.
Cinematographer Mark Irwin does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the use of lights to play into the interior of Seth‘s loft as well as some of the look of the many locations set in Toronto. Editor Ronald Sanders does brilliant work with the editing by creating some methodical cuts to play up the horror as well as some rhythmic cuts to showcase Seth‘s state of mind as it becomes erratic. Production designer Carol Spier, with set decorator Elinor Rose Galbraith and art director Rolf Harvey, does amazing work with the set pieces from the look of Seth‘s loft as well as the design of the pods.
Costume designer Denise Cronenberg does nice work with the costumes as it‘s mostly casual with the men wearing suits while it‘s Veronica that gets to wear some more stylish clothes. Special makeup effects by Stephen Dupuis and Chris Walas is tremendous for the look of Seth in the state he‘s in where he slowly starts to look like a freak with some very disturbing results as well as what he would look like later on as it‘s makeup work at its finest. Sound editors David Evans and Wayne Griffin do superb work with the sound from the way the pods sound when the doors open to some of the intimate moments such as the sound of the housefly. The film’s music by Mark Irwin is fantastic for its chilling score which is a mixture of low-key electronics and broad orchestral arrangements to play out the sense of horror and suspense.
The casting by Deirdre Bowen is terrific as it features a mostly small cast that includes Leslie Carlson as a doctor friend of Stathis, Joy Boushel as a woman at a bar Seth meets, George Chuvalo as that woman’s friend, and David Cronenberg making a cameo as a gynecologist in a very terrifying scene. John Getz is excellent as Stathis Borans as a man who has feelings for Veronica as he is very smarmy around her until he learns about what is happening to Seth as he tries to help Veronica. Geena Davis is remarkable as Veronica Quaife as a journalist who falls for Seth as she is later terrified by the changes he’s going through as she tries to help him while dealing with something that would complicate everything. Finally, there’s Jeff Goldblum in a magnificent performance as Seth Brundle as this brilliant yet weird scientist who hopes to change the world with a teleport machine only to succumb to the condition that would make him less human.
The Fly is an outstanding film from David Cronenberg that features brilliant leading performances from Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis. Along with some great technical work in its look, music, and its award-winning makeup effects. It is definitely a film that can be classified as what a horror film should be and more. Even as it has that element of human drama and suspense that makes it stand out to appeal to audiences who aren’t into horror. In the end, The Fly is a phenomenal film from David Cronenberg.
David Cronenberg Films: Stereo - Crimes of the Future - Shivers - Rabid - Fast Company - The Brood - Scanners - Videodrome - The Dead Zone - Dead Ringers - Naked Lunch - M. Butterfly - Crash - eXistenZ - Spider - A History of Violence - Eastern Promises - A Dangerous Method - Cosmopolis - Maps to the Stars - Crimes of the Future (2022 film)
The Auteurs #26: David Cronenberg: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2
© thevoid99 2013
Directed by Robert Altman and written by Joseph Walsh, California Split is the story of two gamblers who become friends over their love of gambling as they go to casinos in order to have a major score. The film is an exploration into the world of gambling and the effects it has on the people who are entranced by that world. Starring Elliott Gould and George Segal. California Split is an extraordinary film from Robert Altman.
In the world of gambling, one has to figure out how to score and win big so that person can have money and spend. In this film, it’s about these two different men who love gambling as they team up together for one big score after they had been mugged by a gambler who felt ripped off by the two men. Along the way, they do things that will help them win money and have a good time but the lifestyle starts to take its toll on one of the men in Bill Denny (George Segal) as he finds himself in debt. When he decides to go Reno to gamble with the more experienced Charlie Walters (Elliott Gould), something happens to Bill at Reno where Charlie has to sit back and watch while the aftermath would have some profound effect for these two men.
Joseph Walsh’s screenplay explore the world of gambling where it is about playing cards the right way or trying to shoot at a craps table or picking the right horse to win at the racetrack. Still, it is about these two different men who have an interest in gambling. In Charlie Walters, here’s a guy who is very experienced in that world and is very obsessed about what to do and knowing what to pick where he will even throw someone off their game so he can win. In Bill Denny, here’s a man with a job as a magazine writer who is fascinated by gambling and has won a few games here and there but has no experience in winning big.
The two team up together in order to make big money together as Walters is a more compulsive gambler who knows the lifestyle that includes drinks and women while it is still new to Bill. For Bill, he goes deep into this world where he wins but then loses as he finds himself in trouble. There, he goes into a major character development in which he realizes what he has to do to be a full-time gambler that requires a lot of sacrifices. Seeing how Charlie is able to deal with it makes Bill uneasy where he will take a risk to go to Reno for one big score where it wouldn’t see how far Bill will go to win but will also test his friendship with Charlie.
Robert Altman’s direction is quite straightforward for the most part though he does manage to pull in some interesting framing devices for the film. Yet, he keeps the camera in tact to uncover this world of casinos and racetracks to explore a world that is quite chaotic in some aspects but also very organized. For the scenes outside of those environments such as Charlie’s home or the place where Bill works. The direction is very different as it’s tighter and more focused to see how these two men live outside of the gambling world where Bill maybe uneasy about it but has accepted it. For Charlie, he feels more out of place as he longs to make money through gambling. While a lot of the film takes place in California, it’s climax is in the more colder environment of Reno, Nevada where things are a bit different except in the casinos.
Still, there is tension in the direction that occurs where Bill is eager to make his score where he could succeed and fail. The aftermath is the most interesting moment because of where these two men have come to as well as the result of what it takes to gamble. There’s an ambiguity to that world where it can be great when someone wins but also very terrifying when someone loses. Overall, Altman creates a truly mesmerizing yet entertaining film about the world of gambling.
Cinematographer Paul Lohmann does excellent work with the photography from some of the low-key lighting in some of the bars and casinos to the more vibrant look of the Californian exterior settings. Editors Lou Lombardo and O. Nicholas Brown do terrific work with the editing to capture the energy of the casinos and racetracks as well as more methodical moments in the non-gambling scenes. Art director Leon Ericksen and set decorator Sam J. Jones do nice work with the look of Charlie‘s home and the office that Bill works as well as a few touches for the casinos they attend.
Sound editor Kay Rose does wonderful work with the sound to capture the craziness in the race tracks and the casinos to showcase the world of gambling. The music soundtrack consists of an array of music that plays to the world of casino life courtesy of Phyllis Shotwell who provides some funny renditions of standards.
The casting by Scott Bushnell is brilliant for the ensemble that is created as it features appearances from Jeff Goldblum as one of Bill’s editors, Bert Remsen as a drag queen Bill and Charlie meets, Edward Walsh as a gambler who mugs Bill and Charlie early in the film, and screenwriter Joseph Walsh as Bill’s bookie. In a couple of wonderful performances, there’s Gwen Welles and Ann Prentiss as a couple of lady friends of Charlie who hang out with him and Bill as they also encounter their world of gambling.
Finally, there’s the duo of Elliott Gould and George Segal in fantastic performances in their respective roles of Charlie Walters and Bill Denny. Gould brings a lot of humor as the fast-talking Charlie who always hustle in order to make his living as he’s also a man that knows what to do. Segal also brings humor to his role but also a sense of dramatic weight to his character who finds himself in trouble over his gambling losses. The two together make a great duo in the way they interact with each other as they’re a major highlight of the film.
California Split is a marvelous film from Robert Altman that features incredible performances from Elliott Gould and George Segal. Thanks to its intriguing approach to explore the world of gambling, it’s a film that is very funny but also very compelling that explores the world of gamblers and what they have to do to win. For fans of Altman, this film is definitely one of his key works in the 1970s as well as one of his finest films of his career. In the end, California Split is a superb film from Robert Altman.
Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - Nashville - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie's Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion
© thevoid99 2013
Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 3/13/07 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.
Directed by Robert Altman and written by Joan Tewkesbury, Nashville is a multi-layered story about different groups of people coming together for a country music convention where the world of politics and celebrity collide in the course of five day that leads to a climatic concert. The film explores the world of celebrity culture through a variety of stories that features more than 20 characters. With an all-star cast that includes Keith Carradine, Lily Tomlin, Shelley Duvall, Michael Murphy, Geraldine Chaplin, Henry Gibson, Ronee Blakley, Gwen Welles, Barbara Baxley, Ned Beatty, Jeff Goldblum, Allen Garfield, Scott Glenn, Elliott Gould, Julie Christie, and many more. Nashville is a superb, sprawling, yet eerie film from Robert Altman.
Replacement party candidate Hal Phillip Walker is set to appear in Nashville, Tennessee in the hopes to win another primary for the U.S. Presidency as a BBC news reporter named Opal (Geraldine Chaplin) is making a documentary about the city. Opal accidentally interrupts a recording session for country legend Haven Hamilton (Henry Gibson) as she meets his son Bud (Dave Peel) while she attends another session featuring gospel singers led by a local housewife in Linnea Reese (Lily Tomlin). Linnea's husband Delbert (Ned Beatty) has a meeting with Californian businessman John Triplette (Michael Murphy) while a mysterious man (Jeff Goldbum) arrives on a motor-tricycle where a cook named Wade Cooley (Robert DoQui) and waitress/aspiring singer Sueleen Gray (Gwen Welles watch). Another aspiring singer in Winifred Albuquerque leaves her husband Star (Bert Ramsen) at a traffic jam as Nashville is waiting for the arrival of famed country singer Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakley).
Delbert, Triplette, Haven, Bud, and Haven's mistress Lady Pearl (Barbara Baxley) are at the airport to meet Barbara Jean and her husband Barnett (Allen Garfield) while a soldier named Pfc. Glenn Kelly (Scott Glenn) watches while a folk trio named Bill (Allan F. Nichols), Mary (Cristina Raines), and Tom Frank (Keith Carradine) arrive to the city as does a woman known as L.A. Joan (Shelley Duvall) who meets her uncle Mr. Green (Keenan Wynn). Jean is sent to the hospital as many await to give interviews or to meet her as Mr. Green later gets a visit from musician Kenny Fraiser (David Hayward) asking to rent a room. Jean's appearance is canceled as everyone in town including African-American country singer Tommy Brown (Timothy Brown) play gigs all over the city while Linnea gets some strange calls from Tom Frank who sleeps around with some of the women in the city. Sueleen auditions for a man named Trout at a club where she passes the audition despite her poor vocal quality. At a show at the Grand Old Opry, Connie White (Karen Black) fills in for Jean who steals the show much to the dismay of Barbara Jean who is still at the hospital. With a big concert at the Parthenon still set, Bill and Mary's relationship is deteriorating as Triplette asks them to play.
Barbara Jean finally plays a show but the performance was shambolic making Triplette and Barnett worried if she will be involved for the big show. At a club later that night, Tom Frank reveals his vulnerability in a song called I'm Easy as Linnea watches while Sueleen attends the gig she received where it's revealed to be not what she expected. On the day Hal Phillip Walker arrives for the show, all of the people big and small in the past four day come together for the big moment where reality and tragedy collide.
Given upon the film's attitude towards idol-worship and politics, the timing couldn't have been any better for a film like Nashville. Even in today's view where whatever cynicism that had been growing in the mid-70s has only served as a reminder to today's harsh times. While a lot of credit should go to Altman for his improvisation, chaotic style in collaboration with his actors. Much of the credit should also go to screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury for telling this story of ordinary people including celebrities and political officers coming together in a place as American as Nashville.
A lot of the film reveals the kind of cynicism and disillusionment that came out of the 1960s. The character of Lady Pearl reveals these feelings when reflecting on her love for the Kennedys and her anger towards her own state for letting Richard Nixon win that state because they didn't want to vote for someone who is Catholic. A lot of the film's political overtones from the voice of P.A. guy talking about the candidate Hal Phillip Walker, who is never seen throughout the entire film.
It's not just politics that drives the course of this story, but also celebrity in which, you have some major celebrity figures in characters like Haven Hamilton, Barbara Jean, Connie White, and Tommy Brown. There's a scene in which the African-American Brown, based on the country singer Charley Pride, is called a racial slur, not by a white man but from one of his own. There's also a scene in where Barbara Jean starts to ramble where it shows the folly and downside of celebrity where it becomes a disappointment to somebody in the audience.
Largely because they're forced to see this iconic figure be something they don't want to see, human. Jean is an interesting character who starts to fall apart from the pressures of celebrity as well as the competition against rival Connie White. There's even a couple of walk-on cameo appearances from Altman regulars Elliot Gould and Julie Christie playing themselves intrigued by this event going on in Nashville.
The city itself is a major character since it's the melting pot of not just where country music is but also the place where Hal Phillip Walker hopes to win. There's a moment where John Triplette uses Nashville hoping to get more votes though he has no care for them. Right before the film's climatic concert, there's a scene of Triplette and Barnett arguing about political motives that revels in how a country has become unsure of their own future concerning the government. After this argument comes this tragedy that would foreshadow an event in the years to come. Plus, in this tragedy comes this wave of disillusionment, loss, and confusion. It is there that someone takes this tragic moment and tries to create something to get people together. This is where the genius of Robert Altman occurs.
Altman isn't concerned about politics, lifestyles, or the cult of celebrity but people, real people even if they're celebrities or political lackeys. Altman's observant yet improvisational direction proves that there's a lot of life in any part of a place like Nashville. Even in a scene where Opal goes to a car dump to prepare narration for her documentary as she is trying to figure out what to say. Altman shows the folly of humanity and how events can lead to surrealism. The character of Linnea Reese is a woman who is a loving mother and wife who cares for her deaf children while her husband is more distracted by this political event rather than paying attention to what his son is trying to say. Altman reveals the folly of people trying to follow something as confusing in politics and celebrity. The moments in the film are often filled with overlapping dialogue to convey the atmosphere of what is going on and where these people are. What are they reacting to or what are they thinking. Altman isn't trying to reveal any kind of answers rather than letting the audience themselves involved in what they think is happening. The result is a truly superb, sprawling direction from the late, great Robert Altman.
Cinematographer Paul Lohmann does excellent work in capturing the wonders that is Nashville from the Parthenon, the Grand Old Opry, and the clubs that make this place unique with its colorful, documentary-like camera work. Set decorator Robert M. Anderson also plays to the film's authentic look of the city with its intimate look for the clubs to the colorful, spacious home of the Reese family. Costume designer Jules Melillo does great work in creating the lavish costumes of the country singers as well as the laid-back clothes of the folk trio Bill, Mary, & Tom to the look of regular people. Editors Dennis M. Hill and Sidney Levin do great work in putting together the stories and characters together with some wonderful editing to move one story to another and see how they all relate to another. Sound editor William A. Sawyer along with Chris McLaughlin and James E. Webb also do amazing work with the sound to convey the sense of tension and atmosphere in the scenes that's happening, notably the way the music is captured.
With many of the actors including Altman contributing music to the film, the soundtrack is wonderfully memorable from the songs Ronee Blakley sings that is pure traditional country to the other songs by Karen Black, Henry Gibson, and Timothy Brown that shows the wonders of country in the 1970s. The musical performances are memorable with Gwen Welles doing a hilariously bad rendition of the songs she sings. Lily Tomlin also does some wonderful music while the real standout is Keith Carradine and his Oscar-winning song I'm Easy. The performance of It Don't Worry Me by Barbara Harris truly memorable while other songs features contributions from Richard Baskin and Gary Busey. It's one of the finest soundtracks ever assembled.
Then, we have the film's large, ensemble cast and it's truly filled with some of the most memorable characters assembled on film. From notable small performances from Gailard Sartain as a diner patron, screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury as the voice of Tom's lover and Kenny's mother, Howard K. Smith as a TV reporter, Merle Kilgore as Trout, composer Richard Baskin as a piano player named Frog, James Dan Calvert and Donna Denton as the Reese's deaf children, and cameos from Altman regulars Elliott Gould and Julie Christie as themselves. Notable small performances from Bert Remsen as Star, Jeff Goldblum as the tricycle man, and David Arkin as Norman are exceptionally memorable for their individual moments. Allan F. Nichols and Cristina Raines are also excellent as the bickering couple of Bill and Mary who are stuck in a tempting love triangle with band mate Tom. Gwen Welles is great as the naive dreamer Sueleen whose belief that she can sing is undermined by the fact that she can't until this moment of humiliation. Robert DoQui is also great as Gwen's friend who reminds her of her lack of talent despite his cynical attitude.
Karen Black is excellent as the bitchy, vain Connie White who has a nicer personality onstage but offstage, she's a mean, egotistical singer with little respect for Barbara Jean. Timothy Brown is also excellent in his brief role as the Charley Pride-inspired Tommy Brown while Scott Glenn is also good in his small role as a soldier who had a nice story about Barbara Jean. Barbara Harris gives a comical, memorable performance as a struggling singer named Albuquerque who is hoping for her own break where she has an amazing scene in the film's finale. David Hayward is also great as the mysterious Kenny who seems lost in the world he is surrounded by as a musician trying to find a place to fit in. Dave Peel is wonderful as the sweet, intelligent Bud Hamilton who enjoys the role of helping his father's business matters while aspires for something more. Allen Garfield is great as Barbara Jean's frustrated, caring manager who is trying to take care of his wife but couldn't deal with the way she's being used.
Keenan Wynn is wonderful as Mr. Green, L.A. Joan's uncle who is dealing with his wife's illness and his niece's single-minded personality. Shelly Duvall is wonderful as the loopy, icon-obsessed L.A. Joan who is more concerned about public events and icons rather than her own aunt. Barbara Baxley gives a wonderfully touching performance as the sweet yet cynical Lady Pearl whose loss of hope for politics reveal a dark anger to the way she reacts towards her own background. Henry Gibson is great as country legend Haven Hamilton who is trying to organize things while dealing with his own celebrity and his city's reputation. Ned Beatty is excellent as the neglectful Delbert Reese while Altman regular Michael Murphy is also great as the political lackey John Triplette, who makes an insulting comment on Nashville. Ronee Blakley gives a wonderful performance as the fragile yet enchanting Barbara Jean whose presence as a singer is wonderful to watch only to see her fall apart with her rambling.
Geraldine Chaplin is wonderful as the eccentric, loopy Opal who tries to create a story but isn't sure what to do while being selfish for her own gain. Altman regular Keith Carradine is great as the burned out, womanizing Tom Frank who has a great moment with his performance of I'm Easy. In her feature-film debut and first of many films for Altman, Lily Tomlin gives a phenomenal performance as Linnea Reese with her caring, conflicted woman who loves her children but tries to deal with her husband's neglect and her own role as a wife.
Nashville is a magnificent film from Robert Altman that features an outstanding ensemble cast and a captivating screenplay from Joan Tewkesbury. The film is definitely one of the great examples of what a multi-layered ensemble film should be as it doesn't lose sight on the big themes while allowing small moments to play out. It's also a film that is also not afraid to tackle big subjects that are more relevant than ever since its original release. In the end, Nashville is a tremendous film from Robert Altman.
Robert Altman Films: (The Delinquents) - (The James Dean Story) - Countdown (1968 film) - (That Cold Day in the Park) - M.A.S.H. - Brewster McCloud - McCabe & Mrs. Miller - (Images) - The Long Goodbye - Thieves Like Us - California Split - Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson - 3 Women - (A Wedding) - (Quintet) - (A Perfect Couple) - (HealtH) - Popeye - (Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) - (Streamers) - (Secret Honor) - (O.C. and Stiggs) - Fool for Love - (Beyond Therapy) - (Aria-Les Boreades) - (Tanner ‘88) - (Vincent & Theo) - The Player - Short Cuts - Pret-a-Porter - (Kansas City) - (The Gingerbread Man) - Cookie’s Fortune - Dr. T & the Women - Gosford Park - The Company (2003 film) - (Tanner on Tanner) - A Prairie Home Companion
© thevoid99 2013
